


a boy like that

by arielf17



Series: ari tried to do bingo? [9]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Childhood Friends, M/M, Mentions of Cancer, Minor Character Death, Pen Pals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-11
Updated: 2019-12-11
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:14:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21753571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arielf17/pseuds/arielf17
Summary: prompt: meeting the pen pal
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes & Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes & Tony Stark & James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Pepper Potts, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, Peggy Carter & Angie Martinelli & Steve Rogers
Series: ari tried to do bingo? [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1567834
Kudos: 27
Collections: Happy Steve Bingo 2019





	a boy like that

Steven, 

Hello. My name is James. I live in California with my mom and dad and my baby sister. Her name is Rebecca. She can’t talk yet because she’s a baby. 

I’ve never been to New York before. Is it nice? My house is kinda small but I like it. I like small things. I hope I’ll be really big when I grow up so no matter what my baby sister will always be really small to me. 

What are your friends like? I only have one friend. His name is Tony. He’s really smart. He’s kinda mean sometimes but he’s always really nice to me. He says it’s because I’m there for him no matter what. Tony’s really silly. 

I hope you like my letter, Steven. It’s fun to write. Tony thinks it’s lame but Tony likes candy corn so what does he know.

— James 

James, 

OKAY. My name is STEVE. Nobody calls me Steven except my mom when she’s mad at me. But then she says “STEVEN GRANT ROGERS” and I don’t think you’re gonna do that. Also there’s another boy in my class named Steven but his is spelled Stephen and he’s SO WEIRD. 

Me and my mom live in Brooklyn. I don’t have any siblings and my dad died when I was a baby. He was in the army. I’ve never really left New York. I like it. 

My best friends are named Peggy and Angie. Peggy helps me punch people if they’re being mean and Angie helps us get out of trouble. 

I did like your letter! I like reading because sometimes when I get really sick I don’t have anything else to do. I get sick a lot. I’m still really strong though! 

— STEVE 

Steve,

My mom uses my middle name when I’m in trouble too. My full name is James Buchanan Barnes. I bet you’re super strong if you get sick all the time! People who get sick a lot are the strongest! You have to beat up the sick so it leaves your body and it makes you super tough! I’m strong because I carry my sister around the house. She looks tiny but she’s SO heavy. 

There’s ANOTHER JAMES at school now. He’s been hanging out with me and Tony. It’s so confusing, I can’t tell which one of us Tony is talking to. Other James also has an adoptive sister our age. Her name is Virginia. Tony says he’s going to marry Virginia when we’re all grown up, but I think she’s too smart to marry Tony. 

Are Peggy and Angie in the same class as you? Tony and I are, but we can’t sit together because of that one time with the bottle rocket even though we both said we were sorry and mostly meant it.

— James

James, 

Maybe you and Other James can both go by a nickname. Nobody gets to be James, and you both get cool nicknames. You could even come up with one for Virginia, just to be fun. Your middle name is Buchanan, maybe they could call you Bucky. 

Now that I think of it, Peggy and Angie and I all have nicknames, since my name is Steven, Peggy’s name is Margaret, and Angie’s name is Angelica. Peggy and Angie are in the same class as me, but I think Mr. Phillips would like it better if we weren’t. I don’t know what I would do if we weren’t in the same class though. I don’t have a lot of friends. 

How is your sister? I don’t know anything about babies, but my mom does. She’s both my mom and a nurse, so I bet she knows more about babies than normal moms. It’s a good thing my mom’s a nurse because I almost died a lot when I was a baby. 

I’ve almost died a couple times since then too, but Peggy and Angie say if I say if I die, they’ll kill me. I don’t know how that would work, but I think they could pull it off. 

— Steve

Steve, 

You are not allowed to die. If you die I will dig up your dead body and fart on your face. Your face will smell like my butt for all eternity. You don’t want to smell like my butt, do you?

I told your nickname idea to Tony so now I’m Bucky, Other James is Rhodey, and Virginia is Pepper. And you have lots of friends. You have me and Tony and Rhodey and Pepper and even the baby! I’m sure Peggy and Angie would like us because we’re delightful. 

How are Peggy and Angie, and your mom? What are you doing for the holidays? I made something really special for Rebecca’s first Chanukah. I hope my parents think it’s cute. 

—Bucky

Bucky, 

Something really bad happened. My mom is in the hospital, she has cancer. I don’t know what to do. Uncle Abe has been staying here with me. I don’t know what I’ll do if something bad happens to my mom. 

I’m scared. I can’t write to you for a while because I’m so sad and terrified. I’m sorry. You’re my best friend. Someday when I meet you I’m gonna give you a big hug and we can be together forever, until the end of the line. 

— Steve

#

Bucky raced out of the house, tears streaming down his face, not even bothering to tell his parents where he was going, or to put shoes on for that matter. He knocked on the door to Tony’s house. Mr. Jarvis answered the door. 

“James! Come inside, you’re soaking wet.” 

Bucky then realized that it was raining. Mr. Jarvis led him inside and wrapped him up in a blanket. Bucky collapsed onto the couch. 

“I’ll tell him that you’re here. Sit tight, alright?” 

Bucky nodded. Mr. Jarvis returned a few minutes later with Tony, who was confused. 

“Bucky? What are you doing here? Why are you wet? And where are your shoes?” 

“It’s Steve,” said Bucky, “I can’t talk to him for a while. His mom has cancer. He’s so scared, and I can’t do anything to help!”

Bucky broke down sobbing. Tony sat down next to him and hugged him. Then something changed and Tony’s resolve solidified. 

“Jarvis, call Mrs. Odinson! I have urgent business in New York.” 

“Are you attempting to charter a private jet? Are you aware that you are in the fourth grade?” 

“I’ll call Mr. and Mrs. Barnes and make sure they’re okay with it, but you know full well that Dad won’t even notice I’m gone.” 

Mr. Jarvis let out a hefty sigh. 

“Very well. Get your friend into something clean and dry, be ready to go in an hour.”

Tony nodded. He got up, picked up the house phone, and dialed a number. 

“Hello Mrs. Barnes. Yeah, he’s here. We’ll be flying to New York shortly. Bucky’s pen pal’s mom has cancer. It’s super important, Mrs. Barnes. About an hour. I can give him some of mine. Jarvis. Yup! I will. I’ll tell Jarvis. I promise. Oh, and could you tell me Steve’s address so I can write it down? Yeah, that Steve. Perfect, thank you so much! Goodbye, Mrs. Barnes!” 

Tony hung up the phone, then turned to Bucky. 

“I’ll go get some clothes from my room for you to wear, okay?” 

“Okay,” said Bucky. 

They were gonna go see Steve, and make sure he knew he wasn’t alone. 

Bucky slept through the whole plane ride. He knew he needed to rest. If he found Steve’s apartment, he could find Peggy and Angie. They could all go see Steve together and make him feel better, and make sure Mrs. Rogers knew that her son was well taken care of. 

“Bucky. Come on man, wake up.” 

Bucky sat up. 

“Time to go see Steve,” said Tony. 

“Steve.” 

Bucky stood up. Mr. Jarvis lead the two boys out of the plane and onto the tarmac. 

“Good luck, boys,” called Mrs. Odinson. 

Bucky closed his eyes as Mr. Jarvis drove to Steve’s apartment building. He didn’t want to look at the city until he saw Steve, until Steve knew it was okay. 

Tony practically dragged Bucky out of the car. Mr. Jarvis escorted the boys to the building. Bucky suddenly felt like maybe he shouldn’t have come, but it was too late. When they knocked on the door, and older man answered the door. 

“Can I help you?” he asked. 

“Are you Uncle Abe?” asked Bucky. 

The man raised his eyebrow. 

“My name is Bucky Barnes. I’m Steve’s penpal. He told me his Uncle Abe was watching him since his mom’s in the hospital.” 

“My name is Abraham Erskine. Steven told me about you. Come on in.” 

Bucky shuffled through the door, followed by Tony and Mr. Jarvis. 

“Steven’s bedroom is right there, Bucky. Why don’t you go talk to him?”

Bucky nodded. Knowing that Steve was in the next room made him feel more courageous. He knocked on the closed door. 

“I don’t wanna talk, Uncle Abe.”

“Steve, it’s Bucky. Will you let me in?” 

Steve opened the door. He was shorter than Bucky, and very skinny. He was practically swimming in the sweater he was wearing, and his eyes were red and puffy. 

“How’d you get here?” asked Steve. 

“Tony has a plane.” 

“It’s my dad’s plane,” called Tony, “but my dad’s the WORST.” 

“Bucky, I’m scared. What happens when my family’s all gone?”

“Your family’s not gone, Steve. Your mom is still alive, and you have Mr. Erskine, and more time you can spend with both of them. Even if you didn’t, you have me. Families are the people who love you and take care of you. When Tony gets sad because his dad is a butthead, he has me and Mr. Jarvis and Pepper and Rhodey. You have me too, Steve. Even if there comes a day when there’s no one left, you’ll still have me. That’s what you meant, right? Together forever? ‘Til the end of the line?” 

Steve hugged Bucky.Bucky wanted to pick Steve up and carry him away from everything that could hurt him. But he knew that wasn’t actually possible. And that it wasn’t nice to pick people up without asking their permission. 

“Yeah, Buck,” said Steve, “‘til the end of the line.”

# 

“Do you think your mom would’ve liked me?” 

Steve sat up and scooted away from where his boyfriend had been petting his head. 

“Buck, my mom loved you. Even before you came to New York that first time, I talked about you all the time.” 

Bucky smirked, and shyly grabbed Steve’s hands. 

“We were 10 when she died. I wish I could have asked her if she thought I could be good enough for you.” 

Steve rolled his eyes, then tugged his boyfriend closer. His sweet, awkward, boyfriend, who’d promised to be with him forever when they were nine. How could Steve not fall in love with a boy like that? 

Every time they kissed it was perfect. 

  
  
  



End file.
